The build-up to the 1977 FA Cup Final was one of the most intense ever. Liverpool were, at the time, aiming to win an unprecedented treble. Standing in their way were their fiercest of rivals, Manchester United.

The game was evenly poised at a goal apiece when, in the 58th minute, United’s Jimmy Greenhoff battled for the ball with Tommy Smith. The loose ball fell to Lou Macari, who from ten yards hit a low shot which deflected off Greenhoff past Liverpool goalkeeper Ray Clemence and into the net.

It turned out to be the winning goal and was the most important in Macari’s career. He returned to Manchester a hero and recalls: “Obviously, when people think of the luck we got in ‘77, they talk about the winning goal. But at the time I honestly believed I had hit the ball as cleanly as I could and that it had just sailed into the net.”

''At the time I honestly believed I had hit the ball as cleanly as I could and that it had just sailed into the net''


Thirty years later Macari, now a presenter on MUTV, sits in front of a group of students at the University of Staffordshire. Relaxing in his chair, he looks around the room at the group of would-be sports journalists who are about to question him. He has given up his time to participate in a press conference about his career as a player and manager and to answer questions about his experiences in the media.

Born in Edinburgh, on June 4, 1949, Macari began his playing career at Celtic before moving to Manchester United, where he was on contract between 1973 and 1983. Small in build but skilful in the air, he scored 97 goals for United in 373 appearances.

In 1984, he entered the world of management when he took charge of Swindon Town. His career then took him to West Ham, Birmingham, Stoke City (twice) and most recently Huddersfield, who he left in 2002. Since then he has been a regular pundit on Sky Sports as well as working for MUTV and, having spent time on either side of the press/player divide, he provides the students with valuable insights into the profession they wish to enter.

The questions thrown at him are varied in subject, from the current proposals to scrap draws in the Football League to the problems currently facing West Ham. However, it is when reminiscing about his days as a player that Macari looks most at ease.

Recalling training-ground anecdotes of George Best and talking about how journalists and players often shared a pint or five after matches, he says: “George was probably better than I had realised. Even in training you weren’t able to get the ball off him. For his size he was so strong on the ball that he would actually knock you over.”

Asked who he thinks should replace Sir Alex Ferguson when he decides to bring an end to his distinguished career at Manchester United, Macari hesitates, seemingly assessing who the likely candidates are. After careful consideration he decides that Ferguson is irreplaceable, declaring: “I’m confident enough to say that whoever the next manager is, in the eyes of the public he will seem a bad choice. Whoever comes in isn’t going to equal what he [Ferguson] has done; they are onto a loser. I was going to say it would be a hard act to follow but actually it will be impossible.”

Macari thinks that the best time to lead the club would be after the next manager has been and gone, as by then the shadow of Ferguson may have diminished slightly and expectations will be more manageable.

Talking about the success of Ferguson and the difficulties his successor will face trigger memories of the similar situation Macari found himself in when he first arrived at Old Trafford. At that time the great side that had lifted the European Cup five years previous, was breaking up and Macari felt that he and the others who joined the club around that time faced an impossible task.

“The unfortunate thing about any player joining when I did was that the crowd at Old Trafford had become used to watching George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton,’’ he said. ‘’New recruits were bought in and I was one of them. There was unbelievable pressure on you to perform to their level. But no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t.”

As the conference finishes, Macari is asked to sign autographs by many of the students. Perhaps without the aid of that deflection 30 years ago, many of them would never have heard of him - but we all know that it’s by such fine margins that sporting heroes are made.